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Archive for April, 2012

Recent events has shown demonstrably one thing – the Media in this country (and when Murdoch controls 70% and ABC most of the rest, let us give up pretending that media is anything but a tool of the Reich-wing) wants regime change.

It is clear that Murdoch wants a change in government, why? destroy the NBN, that interferes with his private TV, maybe he wants to buy the ABC, doesn’t matter what Murdoch’s ultimate aim is, he wants Federal Labor gone.

Murdoch will not even wait for an election – his lackeys will force one, they will try every dirty trick in the book, and it seems more than likely he will get that.

And where is the Labor party? Silent. You people stand by and watch while our democracy is being screwed over by a foreign billionaire.

Ok, fine the media is against you, but you don’t do anything to stop them. How about enforcing a more balanced ABC, which has become little more than an extended Liberal Party election ad every News bulletin with a few quaint English village dramas and a Doctor Who or two thrown in.

Why not have a media enquiry, take a look at what the Leveson enquiry is achieving in Britain, it is uncovering corruption, lies, deceit, blackmail, and so many other illegal activities, but you, Federal Labor believe that Murdoch’s papers would never do such things here – why? Did you read that in a Murdoch paper?

Federal Labor you carry on like you expect supporters to continue supporting you, when you do very little to help yourselves. You are taking for granted the people in the community who defend you, fight for you, and work for you. There is a mass exodus of supporters to the Greens and to Liberals, because you don’t fight back.

Why do you not fight back, because that wouldn’t be nice. Ohh must play by the rules – yes, but the rules are being re-written by Murdoch even as I type. And democracy is being shredded.

In this country we now have rule by Murdoch (Murdocracy), and you are doing NOTHING to stop it. We are being turned into a media-dominated fascist state where the only rules are those that Murdoch wants, and you are letting it happen.

When the Liberal party and the Murdoch press (but I repeat myself) throw mud at your people, you fret about appearances. You do nothing do stand by them, you offer them up as sacrificial lambs in the hope that the rest of you might be spared. Has any Liberal ever stood down even when convicted of major crimes? No, the Liberal party close ranks and defend them even harder.

Our democracy is in your hands and you are doing nothing to protect it, but if you won’t fight for it, why should the rest of the country.

Democracy, the rule of law, Parliament, elections – these things mean nothing to Murdoch, they are a speedbump to him, and you are letting him destroy them and our country.

And if there are still Labor supporters calling for a return of One K Rudd – go take a good hard look at yourselves in the mirror. You should be ashamed. Rudd did more to destablise the current government than all the ALP members combined. His leaks, his ego, his briefing Right-wing journalists, the leadership saga that damaged the Labor brand, the media cannot wear all of the blame for that.

Rudd was soundly defeated at the last ALP vote for Prime Minister, and if see one more self-proclaimed Lefty agitating for a Rudd revival, I will call you out the traitor and betrayer that you are (and not of the Labor party, but of democracy, freedom and our future). The man doesn’t need any more encouragement, and if (when) his ego gets the better of him, and he puts his fragile self-esteem ahead of the future of this nation. If there is one more Rudd challenge, that will be the final nail in the coffin of the ALP brand, Australian democracy and our freedom. And no man who would do that deserves the support of anyone.

Greens supporters, don’t think I am ignoring you. You think you are above party politics, you are just as ideologically driven as the other major parties. You think you are better, you think you are centrist – I have news for you – the rest of the country sees you as Far Left. You hate Labor – because I suppose you will do better under an Abbott-led government. If you think that, you are delusional.

Oh, Wikileaks supporters, I haven’t forgotten you either. Tell me – how is Julian Assange any different from Rupert Murdoch? Both are heads of secret, shadowy, money-making machines, hacking into peoples private lives, both despise the left, and both are seeking to overthrow the democratically elected government of Australian. You hate PM Julia Gillard and are working to undermine her government – but that is not just Her Government, it is also the Government we voted in. Yet you people carry on like you are more important than every single person who went out on election day and cast their ballot. That makes you just as dangerous as Murdoch in my book. Because Murdoch doesn’t pretend he is on the side of good, he is on the side of making money and makes no pretence otherwise.

And if you think that Julian Assange will be treated with more respect under an Abbott government, you really didn’t pay any attention during the Howard years. So if is not about getting better treatment, the desire to overthrow our Government can only be ideological – you hate the Left. PM Gillard could have rolled out a golden carpet, sent the entire airforce to Europe escorted him back to Australia and gave Julian one of tropical Queenslands islands to become his own private republic, and you would still do all you can to depose the current government and install Abbott as Prime Minister.

comment by @redglitterx not authorised by TurnLeft or any of the owners

Edited 29 April 2013
This piece seems to have recently been discovered. It is a year old, would it be written today, probably not, although perhaps, just less anger and emotion and more facts. I won’t remove it just because it is old and opinions have evolved, that would be rewriting history, even if that history is just of this blog.

I cannot remember why the Greens were attacked, possibly as a result of something someone said or an article in the media. I wouldn’t say those things today.

Comments about Julian Assange, if memory serves, were written just after Assange announced he would be standing in the lower house for PM Gillards seat. Of course it presents as a political move. Why not stand in Abbott’s seat? Because the problem according to some supporters was the Labor government. I don’t know if Assange is left or right, but I do think his supporters feel the ALP should have ‘saved’ him.
Moving to stand for the Senate might be a better path, it allows more of his supporters to show their support FOR him, rather than a protest vote AGAINST PM Gillard… and he has a better chance of winning, where he might achieve something, rather than just an one-day protest vote.

Is it no surprise that Latika Bourkes’ nickname is LIBtika. Harsh or not depends on your perspective.

Imagine the dynamics within caucus if Julia Gillard hasn’t flushed out Kevin Rudd in March (and then carpet bombed him c/o Roxon+Swan et al)

And there we have it, ABC’s raison d’être, it is all about the dynamics, carpet-bombing, fireworks – the media is pushing leadership challenges because it gives lazy political journalists something to do. Speculation and opinion have replaced research and facts.

At least, it wasn’t Tony Abbott says

They rewrite history, and there is no one to stop them. Apparently Stalin was pretty good at rewriting history, to remove enemies or add himself. Maybe that is what critics mean by ABC has a left-wing bias, the Stalinisation of the news.

Did I just hear ABC news refer to @PeterSlipperMP as a ‘Labor MP’?

Did they? Who knows, probably, that kind of fact-checking is beyond the reach of most ABC reporters these days.
By the way, ABC, Slipper is NOT a Labor MP, no matter how hard you hope and wish it to be so.

These people are playing games with our future – because when you have a 24-hour news cycle something has to fill the airwaves.

When they don’t have actual news to report, or rumours to speculate on, or opinions to bore us to death with, they just simple sit around talking to each other.

There you have it, ABC, you are not groovy. A sentiment that many former ABC viewers would whole-heartedly agree with.

But have no fear, all that left-wing bias is more than balanced by the Murdoch media.

The Daily Telegraph’s an unapologetic liar that creates ‘news’ yet we allow it to try manipulate regime change by publication? #auspol

Murdoch, and his near saturation levels of ownership, does not seem to affect politics any, because if there is one that Murdoch media is, it’s fair and balance. You will only get truth, justice and the American way if you read one his publications.

All this surveying people about trusting leaders, how about asking about trusting media commentary, so-called analysis & “reporting”

Many people don’t know their local politicians any more, so they only way they know them or their parties is through the media. When all the media in this country is pushing a Liberal-party, Election-now, Abbott-for-PM agenda, it is presenting a distorted view of reality. Of course, right-wing voters are happy with that distortion, it reflects their biases, makes them feel comfortable that they are right, but it is not a healthy democracy.

Never Buy The Sun – Billy Bragg

This 2011 song by Billy Bragg, is a celebration of a 22-year Boycott, by Northern Englanders against the Murdoch newspapers in Britain. When people are “crying out for justice”, sometimes, if us commoners can’t compete with Murdoch and his billions, then perhaps our little rebellion is not buying his products. No point giving him our hard-earned dollars
(This song is also available for Free legal download from http://www.billybragg.co.uk/sun.php)

Dear Mr Murdoch – Roger Taylor (of Queen)

An old song that found new meaning in recent years.

Here is Roger Taylors personal views about music:

What happened to the protest song? Music is now so polished, shiny and predictable, we have forgotten to try and say something with it. I am getting old and like everyone, have the right to say something about the “state of control” we live under – powerless to do anything about it. In case you hadn’t noticed. The high street is full of holes. We are fighting a pointless actively negative war which is killing our young soldiers and which we simply cannot afford. This war promotes and prolongs terrorism. This is our Vietnam. Unwinnable. Pointless. We are taxed and retaxed while the nation is not only broke but utterly bankrupt, being propped up with tax payers’ money and money which is simply printed. We are spied upon by 5 million cameras. We have thousands of petty rules and regulations more than ever before – no wonder people are bewildered and confused. As a nation we own almost nothing including water, electricity, gas, airspace and major manufacturers. Personal privacy is non-existent. We are directionless. I’m pissed off – you should be too.source

Edited to add: 2 May 2012, clearly those people making death threats against the author of this post and owners of this blog are following a link. And not reading any other post. If you did, you would see that all the claims made in this post are backed up with links in other post, so before you start threatening people, I would suggest you click on a few other posts or search for “Abbott” and there you would will see more than enough references for all claims.
And for the genius who said Speedos are a good Aussie company, I don’t believe Speedos are mentioned in this post, and anyway, they are owned by UK’s Pentland Group plc.

There is one theory that Tony Abbott is so unlikeable, even among Right-wing voters, that the longer he stays around the more damage he does to the Liberal-National brand.

There is another theory that Tony Abbott is being used as an attack dog, he might not end up Prime Minister, but he is doing enough damage that with his every attack (with a lot of help from the Murdoch media and #TheirABC), that one day he will achieve his wish of another election.

However, it is now becoming clear that Tony Abbott and his doom-and-gloom, scare mongering is damaging not just the Labor party, but the Australian economy and Australian society.

Abbott is a bully, a misogynist who demeans women at every opportunity and has done so since he was a child, he is xenophobic and prays on peoples fears to incite even more xenophobia and racism in the community.

Abbott uses violent language and vaguely implied threats of violence then says he was only joking or apologises if the media reacts, he is economically incompetent, ethically and morally bankrupt, shows little or no empathy towards anyone, acts like every Australian voter was put on this earth to support him, his lifestyle and career desires.

He has no understanding about the lives of ordinary Australians and anyone who isn’t a white, christian, North Shore Liberal is beneath his contempt. He has a callous disregard for the lives and deaths of the people who sacrifice everything, the death of a soldier in Afghanistan, and according to Tony, well shit happens.

Abbott treats democracy like it is a joke, has little understanding of the Westminster system, cannot balance a budget, does not care about the law, especially when it comes to presumption of innocence, is a Murdoch lackey who will not govern in the best interest of all-Australians, but instead will govern in the best interests of Mining Magnates, faceless billionaires, his mates, the IPA, and Rupert Murdoch, in other words he (appears to act like he) is a puppet, and does not care whose life he ruins as long as the person pulling the strings makes more money, by sucking dry ordinary, hard-working, taxpayers.

This man is dangerous. This man must never be allowed near the Lodge. This man must never be given the chance to be Prime Minister.

responsibility for this post is @redglitterx
and allegedly, if it is in any way libellous, well, I was only joking, it was a turn of phrase, taken out of context

Or, is that just the business as usual, one opinion of one reporter for #TheirABC?

With the Levenson inquiry into Rupert Murdoch and his toxic culture of media ownership, there has been a frenzy of investigation about whether the same shadow-state, toxic media culture exists here – oh wait, there hasn’t.

Murdoch’s influence over the vast majority of media in this country has, strangely enough, been ingored by the media.

Australian political reporters have more important things to worry about. Yes, another Media-LNP manufactured scandal. In a series of tweets, discussing Bill Shorten, the Prime Minister, Peter Slipper, and the Health Services Union, Latika Bourke has said:

This all feels like the same feeling of watching the final years of the NSW Labor Govt…

Without knowing what in particular, Ms Bourke is referring to, as this tweet is vague, perhaps Shorten, Thomson, Slipper (who apparently joined the Labor party without anyone knowing) – other than the current Government of the Day, which is Labor.

It may feel that way to the media, but amongst those of us on the Left, it feels like a Government under constant attack by journalists, especially from the Murdoch stable, who confuse rumour and innuendo with research. In an ongoing attempt to achieve regime change – if the Liberal Nationals can’t win government at the ballot, then, they will do it by hook or by crook.

If it is anything like NSW State Labor then it is more about the media obsession, like sharks who can smell blood in the water, and less to do with reality. If this is the Last Days, then it is because the current mob of political journalists keep saying so – creating a self-fulfilling prophecy. From the Murdoch media at near saturation levels of media ownership in this country to #TheirABC which takes its lead from the Murdoch media headlines.

We deserve better in this country than a media which creates a frenzy of attack against a performing, reforming government that is delivering real change, to the betterment of all Australians, not just the faceless billionaires and mining magnates.

If the government does not fulfil its full term – the media in this country will be responsible for not only subverting democracy, but shoving a dagger in democracy’s heart and twisting the knife, just to make sure it stays dead.

By Hook or By Crook – is an old English phrase that means by any means necessary as in not meant to imply that Murdoch media, aided and abetted by #theirABC are doing anything illegal, or crooked, but if the reader wishes to infer that, it cannot be helped.

Tom Watson: News Corp operated like ‘shadow state’Labour MP who led campaign against phone hacking also says News of the World aimed to investigate MPs’ private livesDan Sabbagh and Lisa O’Carroll of The Guardian

Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation is a “toxic institution” that operated like a “shadow state” in British society, according to a Labour MP who on Thursday published a book about the phone-hacking scandal.

MPs pressured to hold back on hacking investigation, book claimsNew book claims News of the World ‘raked over’ MPs private lives and put Tom Watson under surveillanceby Paul McNally of http://www.journalism.co.uk

former News of the World chief reporter Neville Thurlbeck tells the authors: “All I know is that, when the DCMS [Department of Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee] was formed or rather when it got onto all the hacking stuff, there was an edict came down from the editor and it was find out every single thing you can about every single member: who was gay, who had affairs, anything we can use.

Media’s old master playing politics in Australia?By ABC’s Jonathan Holmes

When the phone-hacking scandal finally made it big in the UK, with The Guardian’s discovery that Milly Dowler’s phone had been hacked, Julia Gillard famously (or notoriously) opined that News Ltd in Australia had “some questions to answer”.

The remark was greeted with outrage by John Hartigan, then News Ltd’s Chairman and CEO, and his editors. There was no proof, no suggestion, that such methods had been used by any News Ltd newspaper in Australia, they thundered. It was a slur on the professional reputation of every one of the thousands of upstanding journalists who worked for News Ltd. And so on.

The day James and Rebekah revealed the arrogant Murdoch way of businessThere was a telling lack of judgment on display when James Murdoch and Rebekah Brooks burst into the Independent to berate meby Simon Kelner of The Gardian

As far as I recall – yes, I think that’s the phrase – it was late afternoon and I was sitting with the Independent’s art director working on that night’s front page. I looked up to see first Rebekah Brooks and then James Murdoch in the middle of the paper’s newsroom, and heading my way.

Murdoch was holding a copy of the Independent. It was a week or so prior to the general election of 2010, and we were running a promotion that asserted the (non-controversial) fact that the British electorate were capable of making their own minds up and would not be manipulated by vested interests.

Rupert Murdoch: myth, memory and imaginationThe version of history told by Rupert Murdoch at the Leveson inquiry bears no relation to what actually happenedby Harold Evans of the Guardian

Rupert Murdoch has apparently lost a great deal of his power of memory, but nature has compensated by endowing him with a vivid imagination. He can surely deploy his new gift in the service of Fox movies. There is the great scene he pitched to Lord Justice Leveson on Wednesday morning where the editor of the Times enters left, closes the door behind him and begs: “Look, tell me what you want to say, what do you want me to say, and it need not leave this room and I’ll say it.” And our hero proprietor, so famously fastidious about such matters, has to tell Uriah Heep: “That is not my job.”

This conversation between Janeane Garofalo and Rosie O’Donnell, discusses how those on the Right think, from their lack of empathy to their coordinated talking points. Although this is from a USAmerican perspective, it can still apply to the Right-wing here.